Portable fire-escape.



P. F. MORRISSEY & H. W. TRAUB.

PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9. 1913. RENEWED JAN. 30, 1915.

1,149,394. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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PATRICK r. MOBRISSEY AND HERMAN W. Tennis, ornuiaumvpivnw YORK PORTABLE rrnn-nscarn.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application filed August 9, 1913, Serial No. 783,951. Renewed January 30, 1915. Serial No. 5,368;

To all whom it may concern lengthwise the supporting rope or cable, 1 with its speed of travel governed by a manually operated friction element or brake.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a portable fire escape of simple construction, which may be readily and conveniently connected to or disconnected from the supporting cable and in which the friction brake element is so arranged as to permit the operator to govern the speed of descent with certainty and without liability of injury. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the brake element may be set for a predetermined pressure to regulate the descent of the fire escape without requiring particular attention on the part of the user.

The invention in its preferred form of details will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the im proved fire escape, showing the same in position on a supporting cable, and connected to a life belt. Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the same, the cable and belt being omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the same. Fig. 4t is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective of a slightly modified construction. Fig. 6 is a broken perspective illustrating a means for securing the friction brake in set position.

In the preferred type offire escape, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the improved structure comprises a main plate 1 preferably of an elongated type and of such material and size as will support the maximum weight for which the tire escape is designed. The upper end of the plate is provided with a snap hook 2, of elongated form with the bill thereof comparatively long and the movable section breaking the hook about one half the length of one side, so that the upper-end of the hook is of solid construction. The lower end of the plate 1 is provided with a ring 3 designed to be secured to a life belt 4L through the medium of a strap element 5, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the fire escape proper is more or less permanently secured to the life belt. I

The plate 1 immediately below the snap hook is formed with a transverse recess 6, said recess opening through one ed'geof the plate, as shown. The edges ofthe recess are preferably rounded to avoid wear upon the supporting cable, the recess being of course of a width to permit a cable of the maximum size contemplated to pass freely therethrough.

The friction brake element 7 is secured to the main plate 1 being pivotally connected at 8-to said plate intermediate thesnap hook and recess 6. The brake element, which is approximately of the length and width of the main plate 1, is of concavo-convex shape in cross section and is terminally formed element is adapted to close said recess, so

that when the parts are in operative position on the supporting cable, the recess becomes in fact merely a hole in the main plate from the standpoint of positively prepenting the separation of the cable thererom.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the

cable receiving element at the upper en of the main plate is merely an open ring 11, while the ring 3 at the lower end of the main plate is, in this form, shown connected with a suspension loop 12 in which the operator is adapted to sit.

. stud 19, the inner end of which bears against ,the mainplate and the outer or free end of which is provided with a handle 20. By adjusting the pressure stud prior to or during the descent of the fire escape it is obvious that any desired pressure may be applied to the friction brake and that the descent of the fire escape may be thus regulated'in a simple and more expeditious manner, particularly I when in use by inexperienced persons, than as it is by the direct pressure of the hand upon the friction brake.

In use, the supporting cable 13, the upper end let of which is secured to a suitable fixture, is placed in cooperation with the fire escape by passing the cable into the snap hook 2,01" ring 11,'as the case may be, and taking one or more turns of the cable about the hook or ring, as shown. The cable is then passed downwardly in rear of the main plate 1, laterally into the recess 6, and depends from said recess in juxtaposition to the frontor forward face of the main plate directly beneath the friction brake element 7.

The operator about whom the life belt is secured or who is seated in the supporting loop 12, readily controls the speed of travel of the fire escape down the cable by exerting the appropriate pressure upon the brake element 7, the hand operating the element grasping said element and main plate in an obvlous manner.

As previously stated, the lug 10 on the friction brake element serves to prevent Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the escape of the cable from the recess 6 while the device is in use, though it is perfectly obvious that by elevating the friction brake element the fire escape may be readily and 'quickly separated from the cable.

case, or even in the pocket, and may be readilyv and quickly applied to any size or type of cable without experience and without the necessity of complicated manipulation.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A fire escape including a main plate, a snap 1100: at one end thereof, a ring at the opposite end thereof, a recess formed in and opening through one edge of the plate, and a brake element pivotally connected to and overlying the main plate, said element having a lug to close the open end of the recess in all operative positions of the ele ment.

2. A fire escape including a main plate, a friction element cooperting therewith, and a ring member carried by said plate, said member having an entrance opening and being of a size to permit the cable to be introduced therein and coiled one or more times about the perimeter thereof.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK F. MORRISSEY. HERMAN 1V. TRAUB.

Witnesses JOSEPH S. HANLON, liln'rin F. DAVEY.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

